LIVING HERE | Near Public Piers; Walking Out to Sea

As told to Bethany Lyttle

Published: March 23, 2007

When I was a little girl, I would come to Tybee Island with my family. I'd count the palm trees as we'd drive across the bridges. And the minute we'd parked the car, I'd dash across the sand. I was always first to reach the shore. I'd bury my toes, pulling up sand dollars. This was a very special place to me. So, when the time came for my husband, Phillip, and I to look into buying a second home, my thoughts naturally turned to Tybee.

To be here is to walk back in time. The speed limit, which is mostly 30 miles per hour, is strictly enforced. Living is casual, and there's a hometown feeling to the place. People say hello and help each other out.

From our balcony, we can see the public pier, which is about 300 yards from our place. It serves as a sort of hub for the community. You couldn't have given Phillip a better gift. He gets out his rolling cooler, fills it with bait and heads to the pier to go fishing. It's also such a great place to go people watching. My 13-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter love to go ''sightseeing'' there, which often means watching the surfers. There's a cabana at the end for protecting people from the wind, and vendors sell jewelry and gifts. And last year, there was a man with a telescope who invited us to let us look through it to see Saturn. Beautiful.

Our lives in the city are busy, but each time we trade in the business suits for flip-flops, it gets easier to imagine living here full time. We refer to the island's slow pace as ''Tybee Time.'' When I'm here, I'm a little girl again. As told to Bethany Lyttle

Information on properties was supplied by the listing companies.

WHERE -- Cayucos, Calif.
WHAT -- Studio condominium
HOW MUCH -- $750,000

This 564-square-foot unit, in a community on the central coast of California, about 15 miles northwest of San Luis Obispo, has a large deck overlooking a sandy beach and the Cayucos Pier, a public pier open for walking, fishing and town events. In addition to the pier, there are views of Morro Rock, Morro Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The building has 30 units. Parking is available in an underground garage; individual spaces are not assigned. Agent: Shirley Lyon, Coldwell Banker Liberty Realty, (805) 995-3505;www.coldwellbankerliberty.com.

WHERE -- Melbourne Beach, Fla.
WHAT -- 3-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH -- $599,900

Situated north of Vero Beach across from the ocean with views of the fishing pier and of the Indian River Lagoon, this approximately 1,900-square-foot fully renovated unit has water views from most rooms. There are two bathrooms. The building has private ocean access, a sauna, a pool and tennis courts. It was built in 1989. Agent: James Petty, United Country Host Realty, (321) 725-3222; www.unitedcountry.com.

WHERE -- Searsport, Me.
WHAT -- 3-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $115,000

This house was built in 1850, with a later addition. It is approximately 1,700 square feet and is in the village of Searsport and a short walk from the Searsport public pier, which offers mooring, festival events, fishing and views. This former farmhouse has a deck at the back overlooking the yard and a detached garage. There is a wood-burning stove, and many original architectural features remain intact. Agents: Marilyn Knowlton and Ken Kupferman, Prudential Northeast Properties, (207) 548-2280; www.prudentialnortheastproperties.com.

WHERE -- Ocean City, Md.
WHAT -- 3-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH -- $1.1 million

The views from this 1,722-square-foot oceanfront unit include the Ocean City Pier, which offers fishing, walking and, at its entry, amusement rides. The unit, in Belmont Towers (which will be completed this summer), has nine-foot ceilings, granite countertops, a gas fireplace, a bar and a marble master bathroom. The building has a large rooftop swimming pool, a putting green and a fitness center. Restaurants and shops are within walking distance. Agent: Kevin Decker, ReMax Premier Properties, (410) 524-6400; www.remax-oc.com.

WHERE -- Provincetown, Mass.
WHAT -- 2-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH -- $599,000

This 1,348-square-foot one-bathroom unit has a large deck and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Cape Cod Bay and McMillan Wharf, a public pier at which the ferries from Boston arrive. The pier is a center of local activities, including walking and fishing. This condo, which is at the center of town near the gallery district, has vaulted ceilings, wood floors and sliding doors to a deck. There are a washer and dryer and a private entrance. Agent: Joe DeMartino, Coldwall Banker Pat Shultz Real Estate, (508) 487-9550; www.patshultz.com.

WHERE -- Pawleys Island, S.C.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $3.1 million

This 1991 house is parallel to the ocean shore so that all rooms have water views. The house is about 2,600 square feet and has front and back porches, a balcony, wood floors and walls, a living room fireplace, three and a half bathrooms and an upper-level sitting room with a wet bar and ocean views. The house overlooks Pawleys Pier. Pawleys Island, about 70 miles north of Charleston, is four miles long and has no commercial areas. Agent: Walter McElveen, Pawleys Island Realty, (843) 237-2431; www.walterrealtor.com.